[Amended 9-4-2007 by Ord. No. 701-07]
A.
Hand- and foot-propelled conveyances, pushcarts, and
other similar wagons and conveyances shall comply with all regulations
contained in this chapter. Any such cart, fruit-vending cart, or other
licensed wagon or stand used for selling nuts, candy, fruit, or other
articles shall, when standing in a place where parking of vehicles
is allowed or prohibited, move from such space upon the request of
a police officer or representative designated by the Chief of Police.
Traffic shall be directed by police officers,
pedestrian crossing guards, police cadets, parking enforcement monitors,
police explorers, or auxiliary police officers by voice, hand, or
mechanical signal or shall be directed by automatic signal, but such
officers or signal shall not prevent anyone from proceeding or standing
in the manner required or permitted by law, provided that in case
of fire or other emergency, or in case of a parade or other concourse
of people, traffic may be directed as conditions may require, notwithstanding
the provisions of this Code or other ordinances. It shall be a violation
of this chapter for any person to disobey or refuse to comply with
any lawful order, signal or direction of a police officer, pedestrian
crossing guard, police cadet, parking enforcement monitor, police
explorer or auxiliary police officer or any signal from an automatic
signaling device pertaining to the control of traffic.
A.
Permission for all parades shall be obtained from
the Board of Town Commissioners or its designee, which may designate
the routes of the parades. Applications for parade permits shall be
submitted at least 60 days prior to the event.
B.
No vehicle, other than an emergency response vehicle,
shall be driven through a parade or other procession except with the
permission of a police officer.
[Amended 11-17-2008 by Ord. No. 715-08]
No vehicle shall park on any crosswalk in any
such manner so as to obstruct free passage upon all parts of such
crosswalk.
A vehicle shall not double park except in an
emergency, or to allow another vehicle or pedestrian to cross in front
of it, or upon the signal of a traffic officer or signal.
A.
Nothing contained in this chapter nor any rule of
the Commissioners shall be deemed to prohibit a vehicle from parking
at the curb of any street while taking on or discharging passengers,
freight or merchandise.
B.
When practical, merchandise and freight shall be discharged
and loaded from the side of the vehicle nearest the curb. When such
handling is impractical because of the size or weight of the packages
of merchandise or freight, the vehicle may back to the curb, but it
shall not stand at an angle which will interfere with the operation
of other vehicles. If there is a situation that requires a vehicle
taking on or discharging freight or merchandise to park at the curb
of any street for an extended period of time (one hour or more), notification
must be made to the Chief of Police at least four hours prior to the
delivery/loading.
The driver of any vehicle, however propelled,
is hereby prohibited from parking closer than 15 feet to a fire hydrant
within the Town.
The driver of any vehicle, however propelled,
is hereby prohibited from parking closer than 25 feet to the edge
of an intersecting street.
The driver of any vehicle, however propelled,
is hereby prohibited from parking closer than eight feet to the edge
of a driveway entrance.
The driver of any vehicle, however propelled,
is hereby prohibited from parking beside a curb or in an area which
has been painted yellow or properly signed under the direction of
the Commissioners by resolution.
[Amended 7-8-2016 by Ord.
No. 777-16]
It shall be unlawful for any person to park a recreational vehicle
or trailer, or other non-motor vehicle on any street, public property,
right-of-way, or alley in the Town of Bel Air. It shall be unlawful
for any person to park a recreational vehicle or trailer on any street,
public property, right-of-way, or alley in the Town of Bel Air for
more than three consecutive days within any ninety-day period. It
shall be unlawful for any person to park a recreational vehicle for
use as a sleeping facility on any public property, right-of-way, street,
or alley in the Town of Bel Air for a period greater than 12 hours.
[Amended 7-8-2016 by Ord.
No. 777-16]
A.
It shall be unlawful to park, store, or leave any vehicle of any
kind, whether attended or not, or for the owner of any vehicle of
any kind to allow, permit, or suffer the same to be parked, stored,
or left, whether attended or not, upon any public or private property
in the Town, other than public highways, without the consent of the
owner of such public or private property.
B.
Vehicles parked, stored or left in violation of this section are
subject to impoundment until the owner thereof, or other duly authorized
person, has satisfied all fines and related towing expenses. In any
prosecution under this section, proof that a vehicle was parked, stored,
or left on public or private property shall be prima facie evidence
that the vehicle was parked, stored, or left without the consent of
the owner of such public property. Notice to the owner of any vehicle
impounded hereunder shall be presented by any duly authorized police
officer of the Town within 48 hours of the presentment of such notice,
exclusive of Sundays and holidays.
C.
It is unlawful for any person to perform service or repair a vehicle
parked on a public street, highway or road within the Town, except
for emergency service or repairs, or to store or park on any public
street, highway or road any motor vehicle left in the custody of the
garage, repair shop or service facility, except for the time necessary
to permit the removal of another car from the garage, repair shop
or service facility.
A.
Whenever a substantial snowfall causes hazardous conditions
on the streets of the Town, the Director of Public Works, in his discretion,
may, by public announcement, invoke snow emergency parking restrictions
for so long a period as may be necessary. Such parking restrictions
will normally be imposed on the main thoroughfares throughout the
Town. Restrictions on streets designated as state routes or highways
will be imposed separately by the State Highway Administration or
state police. Immediately upon declaration of such an emergency and
after public announcement identifying those streets in the Town where
parking restrictions are in effect, it shall be unlawful to park or
leave any vehicle on those streets until the Director of Public Works,
by public announcement, declares the snow emergency terminated.
B.
If parking areas adjacent to a state route or highway
need to be closed to remove snow after a storm, the Director of Public
Works will notify the State Highway Administration and issue a public
announcement identifying the state route or highway where parking
is to be closed.
C.
The Director of Public Works is authorized to remove
and cause to be impounded any vehicle parked, stored or left in violation
of this section.
A.
Designated parking space or zones. No person shall
park a vehicle, unless for the use of a disabled individual, in any
space or zone, public or private, which has been marked as restricted
for the use of disabled individuals by either a government agency
or the property owner. Any space or zone reserved for vehicles operated
for use of the disabled shall be so designated by a sign erected on
a post or on the side of a building which is clearly visible from
the space or zone so designated.
B.
Parking permit for a person with a disability. Any
vehicle operated for the use of an individual with a disability shall
be designated as such either by an appropriate sign or official symbol
on its license plate or Maryland Department of Transportation Motor
Vehicle Administration permit or other approved method, visible to
the public and acceptable to the Town.
C.
Parking at a space equipped with a parking meter.
In accordance with Title 13, § 13-616(f)(ii) of the Transportation
Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, a person with a special
disability registration plate or a removable windshield placard is
not required to pay parking meter fees and may park in a parking space
equipped with a parking meter for:
D.
Violation. Any law enforcement officer, police cadet,
or parking enforcement monitor who discovers a vehicle, however propelled,
parked in violation of this section shall deliver a citation to the
driver or, if the vehicle is unattended, attach a citation to the
vehicle in a conspicuous place and keep a copy of the citation, bearing
Certification A that states "under penalty of perjury that the facts
stated therein are true." Where a citation is attached to a vehicle
in the absence of its driver, the registered owner of the vehicle
shall be presumed to be the person wrongly parking such vehicle and
thus violating this section.
[Amended 7-8-2016 by Ord.
No. 777-16]
It shall be unlawful for any person to park
any commercial vehicle, trailer or equipment, as defined herein, on
any public road, right-of-way or private road right-of-way, as designated
for public use on a recorded subdivision plat, in any residential
district, except when such vehicle is actually engaged in loading
or unloading passengers, merchandise or materials. At authorized terminal
stands or bus routes operating under a permit from the State Public
Service Commission, stops may be made for sufficient period of time,
not to exceed 30 minutes, for the purpose of maintaining schedules.
This section shall not apply to a vehicle involuntarily parked because
of mechanical failure or other emergency, provided that such vehicle
is removed within a twenty-four-hour period of time. This section
shall not apply to a public utility truck engaged in repairs or to
a truck parked or being used during the construction or renovation
process of a residential building, provided that such vehicle is removed
between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
A.
Except as otherwise provided in this section, a vehicle
that is stopped or is parking on a two-way roadway shall be stopped
or parked parallel to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway,
with its right-hand wheels within 12 inches of that curb or edge of
the roadway.
B.
Except as otherwise provided, a vehicle that is stopped
or parked on a one-way roadway shall be stopped or parked parallel
to the curb or edge of the roadway, in the direction of authorized
traffic movement, with its right- or left-hand wheels within 12 inches
of curb.
C.
It shall be unlawful to park any vehicle, however
propelled, across any line or marking designating a parking space
or to park the vehicle in any way that the same shall not be wholly
within a parking space as designated by such lines or markings.
D.
In accordance with Title 21, § 21-1003(c)
of the Transportation Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, a
person may not stop, stand, or park a vehicle on a sidewalk.
A.
After installation of parking meters, it shall be unlawful for the owner or operator of any vehicle, however propelled, to park such vehicle or to allow such vehicle to be parked at the locations described and designated by resolution as parking meter zones for more than the maximum period of time provided on the meters, except as stated in § 450-23, in each such location between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on any day, except Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays.
B.
Restrictions on lease spaces and municipal garage parking zones are effective between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday only, except for legal holidays. Parking in violation of any of the posted times restrictions, except as stated in § 450-23, shall be unlawful and constitute a violation of this article.
[Amended 11-17-2008 by Ord. No. 715-08]
On streets designated as parking meter zones,
or limited parking meter zones, the Director of Public Works or his
designated representative shall cause parking spaces to be marked
on the curb or pavements, or by other appropriate means, and in each
space so marked shall erect or cause to be erected a parking meter.
Upon the deposit of a coin or combination of coins of the United States,
or the use of a smartcard, as indicated on the parking meter, the
party shall be entitled to park his/her vehicle for a limited time
as is indicated on the parking meter. The time when such a period
has elapsed shall be indicated on the meter.
In order that the police officers, police cadets, and other meter enforcement personnel may properly compute the time during which a vehicle is parked, the owner or operator of the vehicle shall, upon entering such parking space, during the time of limited parking, immediately deposit a coin or combination of coins of the United States or a smartcard in the parking meter situated at the side or front of the parking space and operate the same according to instructions thereon. Except as stated in § 450-23, failure to do so shall constitute a violation of this article. If such vehicle shall remain parked in any such parking space for such length of time that the meter shall indicate by a proper signal that the lawful parking period has expired, such vehicle shall be considered as parking overtime, and the parking of a vehicle overtime shall be a violation of this article.
It shall be unlawful to deposit or cause to
be deposited in any parking meter a slug, device, or metallic substitute
for a coin of the United States.
It shall be unlawful for any person to deface,
tamper with, damage, open or willfully break, destroy or impair the
usefulness of any parking meter installed under the terms of this
article.
A.
"Permit only" parking zones. Certain parking spaces
in certain public parking areas shall, by resolution, be designated
"parking by permit only," subject to the following regulations:
(1)
A parking permit shall be obtained to park in spaces
designated "parking by permit only."
(2)
Vehicles, however propelled, found to be parked in
areas designated "parking by permit only" and not displaying a valid
parking permit shall be deemed to be parked illegally and shall be
subject to fines, immobilization and/or towing and towing charges.
B.
Residential permit parking. Preferential residential
parking areas in the Town of Bel Air shall be designated by resolution
as "parking by permit only" during certain hours of the day and days
of the week, subject to the following regulations:
(1)
Upon petition to the Town from 2/3 of the residents
of a street or portion thereof in a residential zone, or on any street
where there are a sufficient number of residential dwellings in the
opinion of the Board of Town Commissioners to warrant the establishment
of permit parking, the Board of Town Commissioners shall cause a resolution
to be introduced which shall designate the street or portion thereof
"parking by permit only."
(2)
Said resolution shall be subject to a duly advertised
public hearing and shall include the following information:
(a)
An accurate description of the area to be designated
"parking by permit only";
(b)
The reasons for designating the street or portion
thereof "parking by permit only";
(c)
The hours of the day and days of the week in
which "parking by permit only" shall be in effect; and
(d)
Other restrictions which the Board of Town Commissioners
may impose.
(3)
Upon adoption of a resolution designating a street
or portion thereof "parking by permit only," a parking permit shall
be obtained by residents of said street and shall be displayed on
the rear bumper or in the rear window of all vehicles parked on said
street or portion thereof which has been designated "parking by permit
only."
A parking violation within a designated parking district shall be a municipal infraction and the violator shall be fined as indicated in § 450-38.
It shall be unlawful for any person, other than
a law enforcement officer on official duty, to ride a bicycle, skateboard
or roller blades, or other similar devices upon any of the sidewalks
in the business district of the Town or on/in any municipal structure.
It shall be unlawful for any person to ride
a bicycle on the streets of the Town after 30 minutes after sunset
without a bicycle light and bell.
A.
Skateboards, in-line skates, roller skates, roller
blades or other similar devices shall not be operated within the commercially
or industrially zoned districts or in any playground or parkland or
recreation area unless that area has been specifically designated
or unless the operators of such equipment have obtained the express
permission of the specific property owner.
B.
If a property owner wishes to post a sign prohibiting
skateboards, in-line skates, roller skates, or similar devices, a
sign specifications package is available at the Bel Air Police Department.
All signs posted pursuant to this section shall be a standard design
and approved in writing by the Chief of Police.
The Board of Town Commissioners shall, pursuant
to Title 21, § 21-803 of the Transportation Article of the
Annotated Code of Maryland, exercise its authority by resolution to
designate school zones and maximum speed limits within such zones.
For each designated school zone, fines for speeding during school
hours as designated on the sign shall be double the amount that would
otherwise apply, and a sign shall be placed indicating that fines
for speeding within such zone shall be doubled during school hours.
[Amended 11-17-2008 by Ord. No. 715-08; 4-16-2018 by Ord. No. 784-18]
B.
When a fire official determines a fire lane is required, the property
owner shall:
(1)
Clearly designate the fire lane by posting a sign approved by the Director of Public Works in accordance with the provisions in § 204-2. Signs shall adhere to the standards found in the Maryland Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
(2)
Paint red any curb or roadway to designate the fire lane. The shade
of the red paint shall be approved by a fire official.
C.
A property owner shall maintain a clear space of at least 36 inches
around any fire hydrant located on his/her property and shall maintain
an unobstructed area (i.e., free of landscaping, dumpsters, or other
obstructions) between the curb and the face of the hydrant. The unobstructed
area shall extend a minimum of 15 feet measured along the curb to
either side of the center line of the hydrant.
D.
A property owner shall maintain an unobstructed path from the curb
to any Fire Department connection located on a building. The path
shall be a minimum of four feet wide.
E.
A property owner, including owners of all nonprofit and governmental buildings, who fails after a ninety-day notice to properly designate and maintain a fire lane by appropriate signs and other appropriate marking or who fails to maintain unobstructed access or clear space to a hydrant or Fire Department connection as required by this section shall be liable for a municipal infraction penalty as provided in Chapter 1, Article II of this Code. Each day a violation continues is a separate offense.
